Article feeder for slicers



Dec. l2, 1933.

E. A. REussENzr-:HN 1,939,083

ARTICLE FEEDER FOR SLICEHS Filed may s. 19:1

` nl g ,ga v Y w l 'l Q "1 www f l X/ P' r l INVENTOR BYQ ATTORNEY a rail 12.

`iatente-efl Dec. l2, 1933 UNITED STA N Tels [PATENT i orncg .ARTICLE FEEDER FR SLICERS Ernest Albert Reusscnzehn, Dayton, Ohio, asl signor, by me'sne assignments,l to International Business Machines Corporation, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York i Application May 5, 1931. serial No. 535,133 s claims. (01146-102) This case relates to :detail improvements in article slicing machines.

The object oi' the invention is to provide novel means for gradually slowing down movement of 2 one or" the elements of the slicing machine.

Particularly the object is to provide novelmeans for slowing' down a reciprocatable article feeder at the endof each'stroke. l

` Further, the object is toprovide novel spring means for slowing dovvnmovement of an article In detail, the machine comprises a base having at each end posts 11 carrying between them A second rail 13 ismounted on the base below the rail 12. These rails guide an article holding and feeding carriage 14 for movel ment to and from a disk knife 15 which may be fdriven through a belt 16 from a motor 17. In the operation of the machine, an article on the l carriageV is moved` towards the gage plate 18.

This mayl be done by one hand of the operator holding the article while the other hand is moving the carriage towards the knife. The latter r cuts a slice the thickness of which is determined p by the gage plate.

In order to avoid shocks to the operator as well as injury to the machine, damping means are provided for gradually and yieldablystopping the carriage at each end of its stroke. The damping means comprises a rod 19 slidably carried by depending extensions 20 and 21 of the carriage. The rod is provided with a pin 22 engageable with Aextension 21 to limit movement of the rod to the tion 27 slidably carried by a leg 28,0f the carriage. AV pin 29V on the portion 27 limitsV movement thereof in'cnev direction by contact With extension 28 while in the other direction movement of the plunger V24 is limited by contact of the shoulder-formed by the enlarged portion 27 .with extension 20. At the free end of portion-27 and' the outer end of rod 19, rubber bumpers 3.()V are provided to contact the posts 11. TheseA bumpers prevent direct contact between 'the metal parts ofthe carriage and posts 11. The bumpers also absorbto some extent the shock of impact between these parts but are'not capable of preventing the abrupt stopping of the carriage at the end of each stroke.

Near the end of the for-Ward movement of the carriage towards the knife, the end of -rod 19 engages. the right hand post 11 which thereby stops f the rod. The carriage, however, continues to move,extension 28 engaging pin-29 of the portion 27 to move the plunger 24 into the dashpot portion of rod 19 thereby compressing the air within the dash pot Awhich slowly escapes throughr vent hole 26. Spring 25 is also compressed by the plunger. In combination, the spring and the trapped air in the dash pot slow down the movement of the carriage. The movement of plunger 24 into the tubular, dash-pot portion of rod 19 is limited by engagement of the shoulder at the right hand end of portion 27 with the free end of the tubular portion of rod 19. When the Vcarriage is on its return stroke, the plunger portion 27 is stopped by post 11 While the carriage continues to move rod 19 thereby compressing the air in the dash pot portion and the spring to slow down the return movement of the carriage. The movement of rod 19 to the left, on the return stroke of the carriage, after bumper 30 engages left hand post 11 is limited by engagement of the free end of the tubular portion of rod 19 with the right hand shoulder of rod 27. When the carriage is in an intermediate position, spring 25` holds pin 22 on rod 19 against extension 21 and pin 29 of rod 27 against extension 28.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and'in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicatedvby the scope of the following claims:

vance of the other member after :the latter hasv been engaged with a stop.`

`2. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocatable device, means for mounting the device for reciprocatable movement, stops, one for limiting the forward and the other the return stroke of the device, a member movably mounted on said device for engaging one of the stops near the end of the forward stroke to remain stationary whil'e'said de vice continues to move to complete the forward stroke, another member movably mounted on said device and coacting the first-named member after the latter hasbeen Aheld stationary by its associated stop to dampen! the movement of said device in completing the forward stroke, the second-named member engaging Ythe other of the stops near the endof the return stroke of the device to be held stationary while Vthe device continues to move .to complete the return stroke, the first-named mem lber'coa'cting with the second-named member vot said members comprising a plunger and the other "a dash pot in which the plunger .is ,movable 'to form a single dash pot dampening means for dampening both strokes Yof the .reciprocatable wie 4. In a machine such Yas defined in claim 2, the members being each slidably mounted on the device and in damping coaction with each other.

5. In a machine such asdefined in claim 2, and means for normally urging the elements apart, the members approaching each other against resistance of said means after one of said members has been lheld'stationary byits stop to dampen continued movement of the device in completing a stroke. s

6. In a machine such as defined in claim 2, and resilientV means' interposedA between said members and resisting relativemovement of said members upon ,one of the latter being held stationary and the other continuing to move with the device when the latter completes a stroke whereby the resilient means dampens the final movement of the' device Vwhen completing a stroke,

7. In a machine such as dened in claim 2, means forrnorrnally holding the members separated and furthest apart .during the free movement of the device between the ends of a stroke, and Coacting means on the members and said device for limiting the separation of saidv members.

8. In, a machine of the class described, an article support, means for mounting the support ,for reciprocation, stops, one for limiting the forward stroke of the support and the other for limiting the return stroke of the support, a spring Acarried `by the support below its article supporting surface, an element engaging one of the stops near the end of the `forward stroke of the supp ort and cooperating with the spring to compress said spring to dampen the movement ofthe ysupport in completing the forward stroke, and an element V.engaging the other of the stops near the Yend of the .return stroke of the support to cooperate with the same `spring for compressing ,the latter and dampening movement of the support in completing its return stroke. v

ERNEST ALBERT REUSSENZEHN. 

